Water in the Basement

[Butterbean]

Anyone have a "Basement De-Watering" system? 

Any reviews?

Sync Pulse?

[Princess L]

I have never heard of such a thing.  We have a dehumidifier and a sump pump (which has never gone off), but we live on a hill in a very "gravel-y' area, so water isn't really an issue.

This "de-watering system" sounds like a "band-aid" to a problem that needs to be corrected - ie: slope, drainage, grade, landscaping...

WPR has experts on frequently (you can listen on line) and you can call in with your question (or I can do it for you).  I would be willing to bet someone will be on next week but the schedule isn't up yet.

On a side note  Patricia McConnell is on tomorrow - pet behaviorist 


http://wpr.org/larrymeiller/index.cfm?strDirection=Prev&dteShowDate=2009-09-04%2011%3A00%3A00

The archive show from 8/13 might be of interest to you.

[NaturalWonder83]

im gonna mark this page under favorites so when i get a house w a basement and if i run into these issues i know what to do

[sync pulse]

Anyone have a "Basement De-Watering" system? 

Any reviews?

Sync Pulse?

oh Stella,...there are almost no cellars in Houston and along the Texas Gulf Coast...This is because of several reasons,...the heating systems have always been oriented to gas systems so that there was never a need to store coal.  You dig down ten to twenty feet and you hit water,...most houses have their HVAC systems in the attic, as well as the storage space.
I have only seen one house with a cellar in Houston, and it was a fraternity house on Macgregor Drive by the University of Houston, and I was told that it perpetually had water in it.

There are lots of commercial buildings with basements and tunnels in Houston, but you have to take extreme measures for water proofing.

I will give a try though;  I would say you had to approach it with a two pronged attack (1) extreme water proofing measures, plastic resins and the like.  (2) a sump pump recessed in a small "well" in the lowest part of your cellar.  The output of the pump would be connected to an outlet to wherever your local code says for it to go.

[Butterbean]

I have never heard of such a thing.  We have a dehumidifier and a sump pump (which has never gone off), but we live on a hill in a very "gravel-y' area, so water isn't really an issue.

This "de-watering system" sounds like a "band-aid" to a problem that needs to be corrected - ie: slope, drainage, grade, landscaping...

WPR has experts on frequently (you can listen on line) and you can call in with your question (or I can do it for you).  I would be willing to bet someone will be on next week but the schedule isn't up yet.

On a side note  Patricia McConnell is on tomorrow - pet behaviorist 


http://wpr.org/larrymeiller/index.cfm?strDirection=Prev&dteShowDate=2009-09-04%2011%3A00%3A00

The archive show from 8/13 might be of interest to you.

Princess, I'd love for you to ask the question about Basement De-Watering Systems if it's convenient for you.

I tried to listen to the 8/13 show but I can't get it to work?


I had 2 tons of dirt delivered and have done some grading/landscaping but am still getting just a bit of water....  There was a hole in some of the dirt that kept reappearing and someone said it could be a mouse hole!  I wonder if they made a cavern or something in there that was filling w/water...I keep putting dirt there.

I have one de humidifier down there ...I may get another one...or maybe two! 

oh Stella,...there are almost no cellars in Houston and along the Texas Gulf Coast...This is because of several reasons,...the heating systems have always been oriented to gas systems so that there was never a need to store coal.  You dig down ten to twenty feet and you hit water,...most houses have their HVAC systems in the attic, as well as the storage space.
I have only seen one house with a cellar in Houston, and it was a fraternity house on Macgregor Drive by the University of Houston, and I was told that it perpetually had water in it.

There are lots of commercial buildings with basements and tunnels in Houston, but you have to take extreme measures for water proofing.

I will give a try though;  I would say you had to approach it with a two pronged attack (1) extreme water proofing measures, plastic resins and the like.  (2) a sump pump recessed in a small "well" in the lowest part of your cellar.  The output of the pump would be connected to an outlet to wherever your local code says for it to go.

Thanks sync pulse! 

We don't have a sump pump in this house and I'm considering having one installed.  Do you endorse the Basement De-watering system that is like a baseboard going around the bottom of the wall?  The dude that gave me a quote said we wouldn't absolutely need a sump pump for that as it could drain into a floor drain down there.

im gonna mark this page under favorites so when i get a house w a basement and if i run into these issues i know what to do

Gene!  You are like a ray of sunshine on a dreary day

[Lord Humungous]

check out ever-dry Stells

[Princess L]

Are you getting actual water in the basement or just moisture/dampness?  Is it moisture on the walls or water on the floor coming from where the floor and wall meet?  Is it only when it rains?    What about gutters?  Do they drain away from the house>? Regardless, this de-watering system sounds like it covers up the problem ~ doesn't fix it.

[Montague]

Anyone have a "Basement De-Watering" system? 

Any reviews?

Sync Pulse?

Humidity and/or condensation is one thing, but if you’ve got runoff coming in from the outside then the goal should be keeping the water out.

Have you any kinds of structures to divert the water – a French Drain, gutters, etc.?

[sync pulse]

The only things I know about cellars is from people who have moved here.

[Butterbean]

Thanks everyone!.. and Princess...I did a bit more grading in the back and that may have taken care of that problem in the back thanks!

But we're still getting a little bit from the front side of the house.  I need to move a couple slabs of concrete to slope the other way.  They're pretty big...I may need to rent something....any ideas..sync?

Lord Mungy, I'll check it out thanks!

Yes, Montague we have gutters and I think French Drains...

I also bought another big humidifier w/the hose that you can attach so it runs constantly.

Thanks again

[Princess L]

800/642-1234


For Program On: Thursday, September 10, 2009  at  11:00 AM
From the basement floor...to the top of the roof, there's lots to keep homeowners busy. After eleven, Larry Meiller talks about home renovation and repairs with Chad Speight of Chad's Carpentry in Madison, and John Viner of the Energy Center of Wisconsin. Chad@chadscarpentry.com jviner@ecw.org

http://wpr.org/larrymeiller/index.cfm?strDirection=Next&dteShowDate=2009-09-09%2011%3A45%3A00

[NaturalWonder83]

stella what is the current status w this??

[Butterbean]

stella what is the current status w this??

It hasn't been raining so all is well.  The last time it rained I still got a little moisture on the carpet from the front side of the house but we think that the walkway slabs just need to be tilted away from the house....a few have settled toward the house.  Hopefully that is it.

I had to download some software to listen to that archive Princess told me about and plan to check that out when I have a little more time!

[benchmstr]

i live below sea level................... ...we dont have basements around here.

bench

[Princess L]

I had to download some software to listen to that archive Princess told me about and plan to check that out when I have a little more time!

Those guys are on again tomorrow 11-12:30 CST
Listen live online - call in 800/642-1234

[Butterbean]

Those guys are on again tomorrow 11-12:30 CST
Listen live online - call in 800/642-1234

Thanks!!!  But I'm not going to be able to listen then

[a_joker10]

Weeping tile and gravel along the house.

tie the weeping tile into a basement sump and discharge the pump away from the house.

It will take some work to install this though.

Also when you sealed your house did you use a tar or someother sealant on the outside of the basement.

Also do you have a high water table table or is most of the water coming in from run-off.

If its surface water.

Make sure all of the grading is higher around he house and that your grade slopes away from your house for quite a distance.
you could also install weeping tile higher up if its not ground water you could drain this to the surface if you pu enough slope on it.

Also check your down spouts. If they are leaking they will drain right into your basement.

The most important thing is to know which part is the problem.

hope some of this helps
This will solve almost all of your problems.

[Butterbean]

Weeping tile and gravel along the house.

tie the weeping tile into a basement sump and discharge the pump away from the house.

It will take some work to install this though.

Also when you sealed your house did you use a tar or someother sealant on the outside of the basement.

Also do you have a high water table table or is most of the water coming in from run-off.

If its surface water.

Make sure all of the grading is higher around he house and that your grade slopes away from your house for quite a distance.
you could also install weeping tile higher up if its not ground water you could drain this to the surface if you pu enough slope on it.

Also check your down spouts. If they are leaking they will drain right into your basement.

The most important thing is to know which part is the problem.

hope some of this helps
This will solve almost all of your problems.

Thanks so much a_joker10! 

We had a lot of rain yesterday and I think we are completely dry down there now.  I sloped the worst slab away from the house on my own and will get help to do the others as it will go much quicker.

Hopefully it's all fixed...I hesitate to say it but I think it is!

[a_joker10]

Thanks so much a_joker10! 

We had a lot of rain yesterday and I think we are completely dry down there now.  I sloped the worst slab away from the house on my own and will get help to do the others as it will go much quicker.

Hopefully it's all fixed...I hesitate to say it but I think it is!

sounds good.

Where I live water in basements is pretty common.

It sucks lots especially if your basement is finished.

[RJ DRIVER]

We have a dehumidifier that seems to work well even with all the flooding we got in atlanta a few weeks ago.

[Butterbean]

We have a dehumidifier that seems to work well even with all the flooding we got in atlanta a few weeks ago.

Hope your home wasn't damaged!  There is another guy on here whose neighbors were flooded but he is on a hill.